Method of producing hose-like knitwear

ABSTRACT

One-cylinder circular knitting machine for production of hose-like knitwear, such as socks, etc., that are closed at one of their ends, is provided with an dial plate ( 3 ) situated above the needle cylinder of the machine and equipped with dial sinkers ( 4, 4 ′) for cooperation with needles ( 1 ) during transferring the knitting. The machine is provided with a device for transferring the retained knitting of the toe pouch (V) knitted on a half-circle of needles ( 1 ) from one half of the dial sinkers ( 4 ) to the other half of the dial sinkers ( 4 ′).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method of producing hose-likeknitwear, so as of a sock, etc., which knitwear is closed at one end byusing a one-cylinder circular knitting machine provided with an dialplate situated above a needle cylinder and equipped with dial sinkers tobe used for co-operation with needles during make-up and transfering theknitwear.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Small-diameter one-cylinder circular knitting machines for production ofhosiery and similar goods equipped with a device used to close the toesdirectly in the machine by means of an overturnable half-plate situatedabove the needle cylinder of the machine are known. This half-plate isequipped with transferring sinkers of special forms. The transferringsinkers have controlling butts to both sides to be controllable in bothof their positions for the purpose of receiving and handing over ofknitting loops in forming closed toe, and also in the basicnon-overturned position in the hanging up of a double welt. Thetransferring sinkers cooperate gradually in knitting of a closed toewith both half-circles of needles. At first, with the first half of theneedles, the so called heel needles during the make-up of loops beforeformation of a toe pouch by means of a reciprocation run of the needlecylinder and, at second, during the transfer of the retained knitting tothe needles of the second half-circle, after overturning the half-plate,which needles correspond to the instep needles and this in closing theknitting of toe. The transferring dial sinkers of the half-plate are ofa very filigree workmanship and with big demands on accuracy, mountingand controlling to accomplish a perfect transferring of the loops fromthe heel arch to the instep arch. However, in knitting for example ofthe double welt, this device works as an integral part of the dial andso in fact it limits the function or the possibilities of the dial plateas such, particularly with regard to the limited workmanship andarrangement possibilities of the half-plate cams with regard to thebuilt up space.

Another disadvantage consists in that during overturning of thehalf-plate the loops that are overturned only at the distance of oneneedle, i.e. the loops on the ends of the knitting arc, cause holes inthe knitting at the knitwear toe and consequently its worse quality.This is because the end loops are the most stretched ones during theoverturning process.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to solve a high-qualitytoe closing directly in the machine and without limiting the dialfunction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is characterized in that at first make-up of the toeknitting on needles and the first half of the dial sinkers correspondingto the heel part of the knitwear is carried out, whereafter, the toepouch is knitted in reverse run on the first half-circle of needles, andthe part of the knitwear, which is retained on dial sinkers, having beenknitted on the first half-circle of needles, is transferred onto thetransferring means and it is transferred towards the second half of theapparatus sinkers, whereafter, it is transferred on them and from themit is then transferred to the corresponding needles of the secondhalf-circle. Further, it is preferable if the part of the knitwearretained on the dial sinkers is taken off the dial sinkers by thetransferring means and it is overturned by 180° by them towards thesecond half of the dial sinkers, which sinkers take it off thetransferring means and then it is transferred from the dial sinkers ofthe second half-circle, on the needles of the second half-circle.

It is another advantage that by retracting the first half of the dialsinkers with loops of the retained knitwear part towards a smallerdiameter the loops are taken off and hanged on the working ends of thetransferring means and after overturning by 180°, by putting out of thesecond half of the corresponding retracted dial sinkers, the loops ofthe overturned part of the knitting are taken off the working ends ofthe transferring means and they are transferred above the needles of thesecond half-circle, which needles then lift and take it over.

Further, the one-cylinder circular knitting machine according to thisinvention for production of hose-like knitwear, such as socks, etc.,that are closed at one of their ends, provided with an dial platesituated above the needle cylinder of the machine and equipped with dialsinkers for cooperation with needles during transferring of the knittingis characterized in that it is provided with a device for transferringthe retained knitting of the toe pouch knitted on a half-circle ofneedles from one half of the dial sinkers to the other half of the dialsinkers.

It is an advantage that the device for transferring of the retainedknitwear from one half of the dial sinkers to the other half of the dialsinkers is comprised of two half-circle plates arranged side by side anddeposited controllably swingingly on the dial plate with 180° swingaround its transverse axis and provided on their circular ends withadjacently positioned transferring sinkers angularly situated so thatthey reach in between the dial sinkers.

It is another advantage that the first transferring sinkers situated onone half-circle plate are on their working ends provided with hook-likeends with recesses and with the before them formed oblique edges fortransfer of knitting loops and the other transferring sinkers areprovided with rounded edges situated opposite to the recesses and theoblique edges of the first transferring sinkers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The method and machine according to the invention are shown in drawings,in which:

FIG. 1 is showing schematically a view from the outside of the positionof needles, dial sinkers, transferring sinkers and the cast-off sinkerswith the yarn position shown during make-up;

FIG. 2 is showing schematically a hang up of the toe knitting beginningon transferring sinkers after knitting of the initial courses on needlesof the first half-circle,

FIG. 3 is showing schematically the position of the needles and the dialsinkers of both half-circles and the transferring device after the toepouch knitting has been finished and before overturning,

FIG. 4 shows the same as FIG. 3 but after the transferring sinkers havebeen overturned,

FIG. 5 is showing schematically the position of needles and of dialsinkers of the other half-circle and the taken out transferring sinkersafter taking the toe knitwear off the transferring sinkers beforetransferring to needles,

FIG. 6 shows the same as FIG. 5 but after the transfer to the needles ofthe second half-circle,

FIG. 7 shows a detail of an embodiment of the transferring sinkerssituated in the closed position in the course of overturning.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A known one-cylinder circular knitting machine for production of hosierygoods is provided with needles 1 (FIG. 1) mounted in the needle cylinderand cast-off sinkers 2 mounted in the sinker cap. Further, the machineis provided with a known dial plate 3 (FIG. 2) mounted coaxially abovethe needle cylinder. Apart from a cutting saw and a holding device thedial sinkers 4 are slidably mounted here in its radial grooves, whichdial sinkers 4 are arranged on one half of its circumference, which halfcorresponds to the heel needles 1, as well as the dial sinkers 4′ (FIG.3) arranged on the other remaining half, both serving commonly forcooperation with needles 1 in retaining of the knitting when the doublewelt of the knitwear is knitted, whereby, their arrangement and numbercorresponds to the cast-off sinkers 2.

According to the invention the machine is provided with a device fortransferring of the on the dial sinkers 4 retained half-circle part ofthe reciprocaly knitted toe pouch of the knitwear on the other, i.e. theremaining part of the dial sinkers 4′ for the purpose of closing thetoe.

This device or means are arranged on the dial plate 3. This are twohalf-circle plates 5, 6 arranged side by side on the bottom side of thedial plate 3 and mounted controllably swingingly in the extent of 180°around its transversal axis, each of them by means of its geared wheel 7and geared rod 8 engaging with each other, whereby, the geared rods 8are controlled by pneumatic pistons. On the circular edge of the firstplate 5 the first transferring sinkers 51 are mounted, which sinkers 51are angularly situated so that they reach in between either the dialsinkers 4 or 4′ according to in which end position they are placed. Onthe circular end of the other plate 6 the other transferring sinkers 61are mounted, which sinkers 61 also reach according to the position inbetween the dial sinkers 4 or 4′.

The first transferring sinkers 51 are adjacent to the secondtransferring sinkers 61. In the basic position, both half-circle plates5, 6 and, therefore, also the first transferring sinkers 51 and thesecond transferring sinkers 61 are slightly angularly separated in avery sharp angle so that there is place between them for passage ofloops of the transferred stitches. This position is secured by variousnon-shown stops of both half-circular plates 5, 6 that are arranged atthe bottom of the dial plate 3. The cooperating ends of the adjacenttransferring sinkers 51, 61 are adapted for mutual cooperation. On thefirst transferring sinkers 51 hook-like working ends are formed providedwith recesses 510 (FIG. 7) and with oblique edges 511 formed in front ofthem for transfer of said loops on them. The working ends of the othertransferring sinkers 61 have rounded edges 610 for throwing off saidloops, which edges 610 are situated opposite to the recesses 510 andoblique edges 511 of the first transferring sinkers 51. All saidtransferring sinkers 51, 61 in basic position are arranged at the heightlevel of the dial sinkers 4, whereby, the radius at which their workingends are situated is smaller then the radius where the stitch loops ofthe transferred knitting are resting on dial sinkers 4 during making-upof the thread at the beginning of the knitting of the toe pouch, butlarger than the radius where the hooks of the fully retracted dialsinkers 4 or 4′ are situated.

Function of the above described apparatus is as follows: A sock isknitted from the toe to the welt. At the beginning the make-up ofknitting is performed during reciprocation of the machine on the firsthalf-circle, i.e. on needles 1 and the dial sinkers 4 that correspond tothe heel or the sole part of the knitwear.

At first, during rotation of the needle cylinder in the direction of therotational knitting, the thread P is engaged by even needles 1 so as itcan be seen in FIG. 1, and after reversal of the rotation direction, bythe odd needles 1. After a partial retraction of the dial sinkers 4 andknitting of several reverse courses under narrowing of stitches, whilethe knitting is retained on the dial sinkers 4, the dial sinkers 4 arefully retracted to the most distant position, so as it can be seen inFIG. 2.

In the process of retracting the dial sinkers 4 the loops of theretained thread P are carried by hooks of the dial sinkers 4 in thedirection towards the centre and, thereby, during the movement of thehooks to a radius smaller than what is the radius formed by recesses510, they slide along the oblique edges 511 of the transferring sinkers51 till they finally fit into the recesses 510, so that the knitting isfurther held on the transferring sinkers 51.

Then it is continued in the reciprocal knitting of the toe pouch V undernarrowing and then adding of needles 1. After the toe pouch V on thefirst half-circle of needles 1 has been finished, by a synchronisedmovement of pneumatic pistons and by means of the geared wheels 7 andthe geared rods 8, at first, the half-circle plate 6 swings from thebasic position downwards so that the recesses 510 are closed by therounded edges 610 and so in the following action the toe pouch V cannotfall off the transferring sinkers 51 and 61, so as it can be seen inFIG. 3.

Only then the half-circle plate 5 swings from the basic position andsubsequently both plates are simultaneously overturned by 180° clockwiseso that their transferring sinkers 51 and 61 get to the same heightlevel as the dial sinkers 4′ on he other half. The dial sinkers 4′ arefully retracted, so that the tips of the transferring sinkers 51 and 61are at a greater radius, so as it can be seen in FIG. 4. But thehalf-circle plate 6 impacts on a non-shown stop so that again, as in thebasic position before the overturning, both half-circle plates 5 and 6are deflected from each other and the recesses 510 are opened so thatthey are not closed by the rounded edges 610 on which, after the act ofoverturning, the loops of the overturned knitting of the toe pouch Vhang now. By the above described overturning of the transferring sinkers51 and 61, the retained edge of the toe pouch V gets with them on theother half of the dial plate 3 provided with dial sinkers 4′, i.e. onthe instep side of the knitwear.

Then, the up to now retracted dial sinkers 4′ are moved out into thefront position and from the transferring sinkers 51 and 61 they take thecorresponding half-circle of the heel pouch V so as it can be seen inFIG. 5. In practice, it is done so that the hooks of the dial sinkers 4′get into the loops of the knitting and by their vertical edges whilemoving out of the centre they take the loops off the rounded edges 610.Then, the corresponding needles 1 of the second half-circle, up to nownot participating in the knitting, lift and in a known way, take off theedge of the overturned knitting of the toe pouch V from the now againreceding dial sinkers 4′, whereby, the toe knitting is closed by thislast step and it is now placed on all needles 1 so as it can be seen inFIG. 6.

In the next processing, the sole, instep, heel, calf, and the weltterminated by a course which does not unravel, are knitted by a commonmethod.

Within the scope of the invention, the circular knitting machine can beused particularly for production of hosiery with closed toe, but can bealso used for production of any hose-like products closed at one end.

Within the scope of the invention, it is possible to make variousmodifications and changes of the circular knitting machine withoutdeparting from the scope of the claims. At the same time all parts canbe substituted by their technical equivalents.

1. A method of producing hose-like knitwear, so as of a sock, etc.,which knitwear is closed at one end by using a one-cylinder circularknitting machine provided with an dial plate situated above a needlecylinder and equipped with dial sinkers to be used for co-operation withneedles during make-up and transferring the knitwear, characterized inthat at first make-up of the toe knitting on needles (1) and the firsthalf of the dial sinkers (4) corresponding to the heel part of theknitwear is carried out, whereafter, the toe pouch (V) is knitted inreverse run on the first half-circle of needles (1), and the part of theknitwear, which is retained on dial sinkers (4), having been knitted onthe first half-circle of needles (1), is transferred onto thetransferring means (5,6,51,61) and it is transferred towards the secondhalf of the dial sinkers (4′), whereafter, it is transferred on them andfrom them it is then transferred to the corresponding needles (1) of thesecond half-circle.
 2. A method of claim 1 characterized in that thepart of the knitwear retained on the dial sinkers (4) is taken off thedial sinkers (4) by the transferring means (5,6,51,61) and it isoverturned by 180° by them towards the second half of the dial sinkers(4′), which sinkers take it off the transferring means (5,6,51,61) andthen it is transferred from the dial sinkers (4′) of the secondhalf-circle, onto the needles (1) of the second half-circle.
 3. A methodof claim 1 characterized in that by retracting the first half of thedial sinkers (4) with loops of the retained knitwear part towards asmaller diameter the loops are taken off and hanged on the working endsof the transferring means (5,6,51,61) and after overturning by 180°, byputting out of the second half of the corresponding retracted apparatussinkers (4′), the loops of the overturned part of the knitting are takenoff the working ends of the transferring means (5,6,51,61) and they aretransferred above the needles (1) of the second half-circle, whichneedles then lift and take it over.
 4. One-cylinder circular knittingmachine for production of hose-like knitwear, such as socks, etc., thatare closed at one of their ends, provided with an dial plate situatedabove the needle cylinder of the machine and equipped with dial sinkersfor cooperation with needles during transferring the knitting,characterized in that it is provided with a device for transferring theretained knitting of the toe pouch (V) knitted on a half-circle ofneedles (1) from one half of the dial sinkers (4) to the other half ofthe dial sinkers (4′).
 5. One-cylinder circular knitting machine forproduction of hose-like knitwear of claim 4, characterized in that thedevice for transferring of the retained knitwear from one half of thedial sinkers (4) to the other half of the apparatus sinkers (4′) iscomprised of two half-circle plates (5, 6) arranged side by side anddeposited controllably swingingly on the dial plate (3) with 180° swingaround its transverse axis and provided on their circular ends withadjacently positioned transferring sinkers (51, 61) angularly situatedso that they reach in between the dial sinkers (4 or 4′). 6.One-cylinder circular knitting machine for production of hose-likeknitwear of claim 4, characterized in that the first transferringsinkers (51) situated on one half-circle plate (5) are on their workingends provided with hook-like ends with recesses (510) and with thebefore them formed oblique edges (511) for transfer of knitting loopsand the other transferring sinkers (61) are provided with rounded edges(610) situated opposite to the recesses (510) and the oblique edges(511) of the first transferring sinkers (51).